Self-contained mobile scrap fragmentizer

Abstract

A mobile self-contained scrap fragmentizer for reducing light scrap metal structures into small pieces of scrap metal. The apparatus includes an apparatus housing having a scrap-receiving opening for receiving the metal structures to be fragmentized, and a discharge opening for discharging fragmentized pieces of scrap metal. The apparatus is attached to a vehicle having a source of hydraulic power. A feed roller and fragmentizing rotor are powered by the source of hydraulic power for feeding metal structures in the scrap-receiving opening into the apparatus housing and for fragmentizing the metal structures into small pieces of scrap metal. The fragmentized metal structures are discharged through a discharge opening in small pieces ready for further processing.

I claim: 
     
       1. A mobile self-contained scrap fragmentizer for reducing light scrap metal structures into small pieces of scrap metal, comprising: (a) an apparatus housing having a scrap-receiving opening for receiving the metal structures to be fragmentized, and a discharge opening for discharging fragmentized pieces of scrap metal;   (b) attachment means for attaching the apparatus housing to a vehicle having a source of hydraulic power and for supplying said source of hydraulic power to said apparatus housing:   (c) scrap feeding means powered by said source of hydraulic power for feeding the metal structures in the scrap-receiving opening into the apparatus housing;   (d) scrap fragmentizing means powered by said source of hydraulic power and positioned in said apparatus housing between said scrap feeding means and said discharge opening for fragmentizing the metal structures into small pieces of scrap metal as they are fed to the scrap fragmentizing means from the scrap feeding means, and for discharging the fragmentized metal structures through the discharge opening, said scrap fragmentizing means comprising a rotor having a plurality of outwardly-extending triangular teeth positioned in staggered relation around the periphery of the rotor, each of said teeth being radially aligned with the direction of rotation of said rotor; and   (e) an anvil positioned between the scrap feeding means and the rotor, said anvil having a serrated edge defined by plurality of laterally-extending triangular-shaped serrations positioned in corresponding alignment with respective ones of said triangular teeth; the triangular shape of said teeth and the triangular shape of said anvil intersecting to cause passage of said teeth past respective ones of said serrations in closely spaced-apart metal fragmentizing relation to each other.   
     
     
       2. A mobile self-contained scrap fragmentizer according to claim 1, wherein said scrap feeding means comprises a feed roller positioned in the scrap-receiving opening and rotating in a direction to push the scrap metal structures under the feed roller and into the apparatus housing. 
     
     
       3. A mobile self-contained scrap fragmentizer according to claim 2, wherein said feed roller includes a plurality of metal creasing and cutting members positioned on a peripheral surface of the feed roller. 
     
     
       4. A mobile self-contained scrap fragmentizer according to claim 3, wherein said each of said metal creasing and cutting members comprises an annular blade extending around the peripheral surface of the feed roller in spaced-apart relation to each other. 
     
     
       5. A mobile self-contained scrap fragmentizer according to claim 2, wherein said apparatus housing includes a plurality of wear ribs in the scrap-receiving opening. 
     
     
       6. A mobile self-contained scrap fragmentizer according to claim 2, and including adjustment means for adjusting the size of the scrap receiving opening relative to the feed roller. 
     
     
       7. A mobile self-contained scrap fragmentizer according to claim 6, wherein said adjustment means comprise: (a) mounting means for mounting said feed roller for rotation on opposing first and second side walls of said apparatus housing;   (b) first and second load springs carried by respective ones of said first and second side walls and urging said feed roller into proper adjustment while permitting controlled translational movement of said feed roller as metal structures pass underneath the feed roller.   
     
     
       8. A mobile self-contained scrap fragmentizer according to claim 1, wherein said fragmentizing teeth comprise hardened steel. 
     
     
       9. A mobile self-contained scrap fragmentizer according to claim 8, wherein said teeth have a relatively large base proximal to said fragmentizing roller by which the teeth of attached to the peripheral surface of the fragmentizing roller and a distal cutting blade, the longitudinal axis of said blade extending in the direction of the axis of rotation of the fragmentizing roller. 
     
     
       10. A mobile self-contained scrap fragmentizer according to claim 1, wherein scrap fragmentizer includes at least one hydraulic motor hydraulically connected to said source of hydraulic power of the vehicle. 
     
     
       11. A mobile self-contained scrap fragmentizer according to claim 1, wherein said scrap feeding means comprises a feed roller positioned in the scrap-receiving opening and rotating in a direction to push the scrap metal structures under the feed roller and into the apparatus housing; said scrap fragmentizing means comprises a fragmentizing roller having fragmentizing teeth positioned on a peripheral surface thereof; said scrap fragmentizer including at least one hydraulic motor hydraulically connected to said source of hydraulic power of the vehicle, and further including chain drive means for transmitting rotation from said hydraulic motor to said feed roller and said fragmentizing roller. 
     
     
       12. A mobile self-contained scrap fragmentizer according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle comprises a backhoe. 
     
     
       13. A mobile self-contained scrap fragmentizer for reducing light scrap metal structures into small pieces of scrap metal, comprising: (a) an apparatus housing having a top wall, first and second opposing and spaced-apart sidewalls, and a bottom wall opposing and spaced-apart from said top wall, said top wall, said bottom wall and said sidewalls defining a scrap-receiving opening for receiving the metal structures to be fragmentized and also defining a discharge opening through which fragmentized pieces of scrap metal are discharged;   (b) attachment means for attaching the apparatus housing to a vehicle having a source of hydraulic power and for supplying said source of hydraulic power to said apparatus housing;   (c) a feed roller powered by said source of hydraulic power for feeding the metal structures in the scrap-receiving opening into the apparatus housing;   (d) a scrap fragmentizing roller powered by said source of hydraulic power and positioned in said apparatus housing between said scrap feeding roller and said discharge opening for fragmentizing the metal structures into small pieces of scrap metal as they are fed to the scrap fragmentizing roller from the scrap feeding roller and for discharging the fragmentized metal structures through the discharge opening, said scrap fragmentizer further comprising a rotor having a plurality of outwardly-extending triangular teeth positioned in staggered relation around the periphery of the rotor each of said teeth being radially aligned with the direction of rotation of said rotor; and   (e) an anvil positioned between the scrap feeding means and the rotor, said anvil having a serrated edge defined by a plurality of laterally-extending triangular-shaped serrations positioned in corresponding alignment with respective ones of said triangular teeth; the triangular shape of said teeth and the triangular shape of said anvil intersecting to cause passage of said teeth past respective ones of said serrations in closely spaced-apart metal fragmentizing relation to each other.